Ratcheting torque-limiting wrench



March 11, 1958 R. G. wooDs 2,826,107

RATCHETING TORQUE-LIMITING WRENCH Filed Feb. 6, 1956 ROBERT GLEN WoonsINVENTOR.

BY fwm, 4

A TTOFE/VEUS 2,826,107 RATQHETHNG TORQUE-LIMITlNG WRENCH Robert GlenWoods, Huntington Park, Calif. Application February 6, 1956, Serial No.563,657 6 Claims. (Cl. 81-52.4)

The present invention relates generally to wrenches and moreparticularly to an improved form of ratcheting torque-limiting Wrench.

Torque-limiting wrenches of various types are widely employed in manyindustries; Generally, these torquelimiting wrenches include aload-engaging member and a spring which resists the movement of theload-engaging member until the desired limited amount of torque isapplied to the load thereby. The application of such limited amount oftorque to the load through the load-engaging member causes the latter toundergo movement from its original position against the force of thespring. Such movement provides an indication that the desired limitedamount of torque has been applied to the load.

It is a major object of the present invention to provide atorque-limiting wrench which incorporates ratcheting.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ratchetingtorque-limiting wrench which is both accurate and foolproof in use.

A further object is to provide a ratcheting torque-limiting wrench whichis compact in size and light of weight having but few working parts.

An additional object is to provide a ratcheting torquelirniting wrenchwhich is simple in design and rugged of construction whereby it mayafford a long and troublefree service life.

Another object is to provide a ratcheting torque-limiting wrench whereinthe amount of torque applied by said wrench may be accurately adjusted.

Yet a further object is to provide a ratcheting torquelimiting wrenchwhich will afiord uniform results over its entire service life.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment thereof, when taken in conjunction with the appendeddrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional View of a preferred form ofratcheting torque-limiting wrench embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 2-42 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line3-6 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4- is an enlarged sectional view of a detail of the ratchetingmechanism of said wrench.

Referring to the drawing, the preferred form of ratchetingtorque-limiting wrench embodying the present invention broadly comprisesa generally T-shaped handle ill wherein is carried a verticallyextending load-engaging member 12. A collar member 14 is journaled bythe upper end of the load-engaging member 12 and a ratcheting mechanism,generally designated 16, is interposed between the load-engaging andcollar members whereby they may undergo concurrent rotation in onedirection but not in the other. The collar member 14, and hence theloadengaging member 12, is normally locked against rotation relative tothe handle by torque-limiting means, to be fully described hereinafter.When the amount of torque exerted upon the load exceeds a predeterminedamount, the collar and load-engaging members will undergo limitedrotation relative to the handle 10 so as to provide an indication thatthe desired amount of torque has been applied to the load.

More particularly, the handle 10 is of integral construction andincludes a vertical leg 26 and a pair of integral, horizontal arms 22and 24. The vertical leg 20 is formed with a coaxial vertical bore 26.This bore 26 intersects a pair of horizontal bores 28 and 30 formed inthe arms 22 and 24, respectively. The outer portions of the bores 28 and30 are of enlarged diameter and are internally threaded so as to receivecylindrical plugs 32 and 34, respectively. The upper portion of thehandle it? is coaxially formed with an internally threaded bore 36 oflarger diameter than the vertical bore 26. This bore 36 threadedlyreceives a cap 38.

The load-engaging member 12 is of cylindrical configuration throughoutthe major portion of its length. The lower end of this member 12protrudes from the vertical leg 29 of the handle it) and this exposedportion is formed with a square shank 40 adapted to be removablyinserted within a complementary socket formed in a nut, bolt or otherelement constituting the load (not shown). It should be particularlyobserved, however, that the load contacting portion of the load-engagingmember may take various other forms without departing from the spirit ofthe present invention. The upper end of the load-engaging member 12 isaligned with the bores 28 and 30 of the arms 22 and 24. With referenceto Figures 3 and 4, it will be observed that the portion of theload-engaging member 12 disposed within these bores is formed with aradially extending passage 42. A small ball bearing 44 is interposedbetween the upper end of the load-engaging member 12 and the undersideof the cap 38. This ball bearing 44 is positioned within a complementarydepression 46 formed in the upper end of the load-engaging member. Asnap ring 47 restrains the load-engaging member against downwardmovement.

The coilar member 14 is journaled by the upper portion of theload-engaging member 12. The inner periphery of the collar member 14 isformed with ratchet teeth 48. The outer periphery of the collar memberis formed with a plurality (preferably four) of annular cavities fill,52, S4 and 56. These cavities extend the height of the collar member.The ratchet mechanism 16 includes a small, generally rectangular latchelement 58 which is radially, slidably disposed within the passage 42formed in the upper portion of the load-engaging member 12. A smallhelical compression spring 6% disposed rearwardly of the latch element58 constantly urges it radially outwardly. The radially outer end of thelatch element as is beveled to a profile approximating that of theratchet teeth 43, as indicated in Figure 4. With this arrangement, andreferring to Figures 2 and 4, clockwise rotation of the load-engagingmember 12 will be transferred to the collar member it through theratchet mechanism 16, the front end of the latch element 58 abutting theshallow side of the ratchet teeth 4-8. Upon counterclockwise rotation ofthe load-engaging member relative to the collar member, however, thelong side of the ratchet teeth 48 will cam the latch element 58 radiallyinwardly whereby the collar member 14 will remain stationary while theload-engaging member rotates relative thereto.

A pair of guides 62 and 64 are fixedly secured within the bores 2;? and3d of the arms 22 and 24, respec tively, radially outwardly of thecollar member 14. The guides are formed with passages 66 and 67,respectively, which slidably carry a pair of plnngers oh and 70 forradial movement relative to the handle iii. A pair of helicalcompression springs 72 and 74 are interposed be-f tween the outer endsof these plungers and the inner ends of the plugs 32 and 34. A pair ofrollers 76 and 78 These rollers 76 and 78 have a diameter approximatingthat of the arcuate cavities '0, 52, 54 and 56.

n the operation of the aforedescribed device, the rollers 76 and '78will normally be restrained against radially outward movement fromwithin the arcuate cavities Sit and 54 by the spring-urged plungers 6Sand 7t {\ssumrng the wrench is being rotated in a clockwise directronrelative to Figures 2 and 4, when the torque being exerted by the wrenchexceeds a predetermined amount,

engaging and collar members, the rollers dropping into This limitedamount scope of the following I claim:

claims.

outer periphery; unidirectional drive means interconnectmg saidload-engaging 2. A ratcheting torque-limiting Wrench, comprising: ahandle; a load-engaging member rotatably carried by said handle; atubular collar member coaxially journaled by being formed with ratchetteeth; a radially movable ratchet element slidably disposed within atrans having a diameter approximating that of said cavity partially dsposed therewithin; guide means in said handle permitting radialmovement of said roller relative to wardly towards said annular element.

3. A ratcheting torque-limiting wrench, comprising: a handle having avertical leg and a horizontal arm, said vertical leg being formed with avertical bore and said arm being formed with a horizontal bore whichintersects the upper end of said vertical bore; a vertically extendingelongate load-engaging member disposed within said vertical bore withits upper portion intersecting said horizontal bore and its lower endprotruding through the lower end of said vertical leg; a tubular collarmember journaled by the upper portion of said load-engaging member; aratchet mechanism interposed between said collar member and the upperportion of said load-engaging member for effecting concurrent rotationof said loadengaging member and said collar member in one direction butnot in the other; a roller in said handle partially disposed within acomplementary cavity formed in the outer periphery of said collarmember; and torque-limiting means interposed between the outer end ofsaid roller and the outer portion of said horizontal arm.

4. A ratcheting torque-limiting wrench, comprising: a generally T-shapedhandle having a vertical leg and a pair of horizontal arms at the upperend thereof, said vertical leg being formed with a vertical bore andsaid horizontal arms each being formed with a horizontal boreintersecting the upper end of said vertical bore; a vertically extendingelongate load-engaging member rotatably disposed within said verticalbore with its upper portion intersecting said horizontal bores and itslower end protruding through the lower end of said vertical leg; atubular collar member coaxially journaled by the upper portion of saidload-engaging member, the outer periphery of said collar member beingformed with a plurality of arcuate cavities, opposite ones of pairs ofsaid cavities facing the outer end of each of said horizontal bores, andthe inner periphery of said collar member being formed with ratchetteeth; a ratchet element carried by said loadengaging member andcooperating with said ratchet teeth in effecting concurrent rotation ofsaid load-engaging member and said collar member in one direction butnot in the other; a roller in each of said arms, each roller having thesame diameter as said cavities and being seated in one of said cavities;a pair of plungers each disposed within one of said horizontal boresoutwardly of said collar member for movement towards and away from saidcollar member, the inner end of said plungers abutting said rollers soas to normally restrain them against movement out of said cavities; andresilient means interposed between the outer end of each of saidplungers and the outer ends of each of said horizontal arms for biasingsaid plungers toward said rollers.

5. A ratcheting torque-limiting wrench, comprising: a handle; aload-engaging member rotatably carried by said handle; a collarjournaled by said member having a substantially semicylindroid cavityformed in its outer periphery; unidirectional drive meansinterconnecting said collar and member; a cylindrical roller elementhaving a diameter approximating that of said cavi y and partiallydisposed within said cavity; a plunger slidably carried by said handlefor movement towards and away from said element; guide means in saidhandle rotatably mounting said element and confining linear movement ofsaid element to a path in alignment with the axis of said handle; andresilient means interposed between said plunger and handle to bias saidplunger against said element to yieldably seat said element in saidcavity,

6. A ratcheting torque-limiting wrench, comprising: a generally T-shapedhandle having a vertical leg and a pair of horizontal arms at the upperend thereof, said vertical leg being formed with a vertical bore andsaid horizontal arms each being formed with a horizontal boreintersecting the upper end of said vertical bore; a vertically extendingload-engaging member rotatably disposed within said vertical bore withits upper portion intersecting said horizontal bores and its lower endprotruding through the lower end of said vertical leg; a snap ringseated in the vertical bore of said handle that engages saidload-engaging member to restrain said load-engaging member against axialmovement in said vertical bore; a

tubular collar coaxially iournaled by the upper portion of saidload-engaging member, the outer periphery of said collar being formedwith a plurality of substantially semicylindroid cavities that arearranged in diametrically opposite pairs facing the outer end of each ofsaid hori zontal bores, and the inner periphery of said collar beingformed with ratchet teeth; a latch radially slidably mounted in theupper end of said load-engaging member for cooperative engagement withsaid ratchet teeth in effecting concurrent rotation of saidload-engaging member and said collar in one direction but not in theother; a helical spring in the upper end of said loadengaging memberthat yieldably biases said latch to engagement with said ratchet teeth;a substantially tubular guide rigidly affixed in each of said horizontalbores at the radially inner end thereof; a cylindrical roller slidablydisposed in each of said guides, each roller having the same diameter assaid cavities and being seated in one of said cavities; a pair ofplungers each of which is slidaoly disposed within one of said guidesoutwardly of said collar for movement towards and away from said collar,the inner end of said plungers abutting said rollers so as to normallyrestrain them against movement out of said cavities; a pair of plugseach of which threadedly engages the outer end of one of said horizontalbores to provide a spring seat; and a pair of compression springs eachof which is enclosed within one of said horizontal bores between saidplug and the outer end of one of said plungers for biasing said plungerstoward said rollers to yieldably seat said rollers in diametricallyopposed cavities.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,860,871 Pouliot May 31, 1932 2,157,574 Siesel May 9, 1939 2,159,373Dunn May 23, 1939 2,358,461 Latimer Sept. 19, 1944 2,503,499 LivermontApr. 11, 1950 2,601,044 Mayer June 17, 1952 2,601,799 Garwood July 1,1952 2,768,547 Noell Oct. 30, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 965,788 France Feb.22, 1950

